The Guardia Civil are investigating a fire at a poultry farm in Villanueva de la Jara (Cuenca) where 40,000 chicks perished

The fire broke out last Monday for reasons unknown. It left the main rearing warehouse, which is situated on an industrial estate, completely burn out.

Although all the birds in the building died from the smoke or flames, no humans were hurt.

The blaze was tackled by the fire service based in Motilla del Palancar, as well as the forest-fire service. However, the flames were so intense that the only thing that they could do was to prevent the fire reaching other nearby warehouses.

What makes the Guardia Civil very suspicious that it could have been arson is that it is the second such incident in this town of around 2,300 inhabitants – in 2017 another fire wiped out a poultry farm. However, on that occasion, the affected building was empty.

Editorial comment: just in case you’re thinking that the chicks had a lucky escape in 2017, the warehouse was empty because the batch that had occupied it had already been sent for slaughter – there are no happy endings on a poultry farm, after all.

(News: Villanueva de la Jara, Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha)